There are various uncertain parameters in the techno-economic assessments (TEAs) of biodiesel production, including capital cost, interest rate, feedstock price, maintenance rate, biodiesel conversion efficiency, glycerol price and operating cost. However, fewer studies focus on the influence of these parameters on TEAs. This paper investigated the effects of these parameters on the life cycle ...

Stress arching effect during the excavation of broken surrounding rock in underground engineering has an important influence on stability after excavation. To determine stress horizontally layered jointed mass, characteristics mass is analyzed this study by using a series numerical tests. The formation mechanism arch revealed through comparison voussoir beam structure and theoretical analysis m...

Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA) is a newly heuristic algorithm inspired by nature which utilizes Newtonian gravity law and mass interactions. It has captured much attention since it has provided higher performance in solving various optimization problems. This study hybridizes the GSA and chaotic equations. Ten chaotic-based GSA (GSA-CM) methods, which define the random selections by diffe...

Abstract A new method named cluster-based GSA is proposed to enhance the sensitivity analysis of models with temporal or spatial outputs. It based on a tight coupling between Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) and clustering procedures. Clustering introduced characterize different behaviors model outputs by grouping them into clusters. The produces variance-based indices that quantify how inputs...

It is well known that digital images can be generated by generalised stochastic automata (GSA). This fact has been taken as the basis for image compression by storing a GSA rather than the image that it generates. This paper investigates fundamental relationships between the parameters of GSA and their generated images. In particular, we are interested in expressing the magnitude of GSA weights...

BACKGROUND Global Health Initiatives (GHIs) respond to high-impact communicable diseases in resource-poor countries, including health systems support, and are major actors in global health. GHIs could play an important role in countries affected by armed conflict given these countries commonly have weak health systems and a high burden of communicable disease. The aim of this study is to explor...

Supply chains are beginning to displace firms as the competitive entity in the global marketplace. Managed supply chains offer the promise of added value through proactive cooperative efforts among participating firms. However, as a strategic alliance, managed supply chains represent a form of social dilemma: supply chain alliances may fail because participating firms fear opportunistic behavio...

This contribution introduces ARTMO’s new global sensitivity analysis (GSA) toolbox. With the GSA toolbox the majority of ARTMO’s available radiative transfer models (RTMs) can be used for global sensitivity analysis with little user interaction. For a selected RTM output, the global sensitivity analysis identifies most influential and non-influential input variables according to Sobol’ first-or...

Debris flow is one of the major threats for the sustainability of environmental and social development. The velocity directly determines the impact on the vulnerability. This study focuses on an approach using radial basis function (RBF) neural network and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) for predicting debris flow velocity. A total of 50 debris flow events were investigated in the Jiangjia...

We investigated the course of adherence to medication recommendations in 162 patients with psychotic disorders in ambulatory treatment. Data were collected using the clinic's outcome assessment program, maximizing the generalizability of the study. Patients initially adherent to their medication regimens maintained their adherence for an average of 13.3 months. Patients initially nonadherent de...